Bounty

"No," Neph denied without hesitation.

Derrick pressed on. "Then-how do I find the key? Is there anything special about the crucial mural?"

Neph thought for a moment, then gave a name. "Rose Redemption."

"Rose Redemption?" Audrey repeated, looking interested. "What does that signify?"

Neph merely smiled without answering, and the others fell silent, each lost in thought. After some consideration, Alger the Hanged Man said, "I remember there being words similar to 'Rose Redemption' in that half-abandoned temple?"

Derrick nodded without hesitation. "Yes, in the corner of a mural. They were written in a script derived from Jotun. It took us some time to decipher them."

Alger seemed to have an idea. He asked the Fool for permission, conjured the words "Rose Redemption" in Ancient Feysac, and asked:

"How similar was the script you discovered to this?"

Derrick examined it closely and froze for a moment.

It was very similar, with differences only in how the word endings were handled.

"Mr. Hanged Man, is this the script you use where you come from?"

As he spoke, Derrick reproduced the words from the mural.

"Yes," Alger confirmed. "This language has evolved over time as well. What you discovered should be an earlier form."

He paused, then asked, "What about the contents of the corresponding mural?"

Derrick immediately felt ashamed and replied rather sheepishly, "I wasn't responsible for that area, and I didn't examine it closely before we left."

Naturally, Alger urged him to investigate carefully once he returned. Derrick agreed, his emotions now completely settled. Audrey took the opportunity to interject:

"Mr. Hanged Man, if that little boy named Jack really is the child of the Listener you described, why was he able to communicate with Mr. Sun and his companions?"

Cattleya the Hermit gave Audrey a thoughtful glance and said